Times Online, UK,
8 February 2010

Ahmadinejad says Iran will start producing higher-grade nuclear fuel

Iran`s President ordered his nuclear chief yesterday to start producing higher-grade fuel, raising the stakes in a dispute with the West days after claiming to have accepted a UN-drafted deal.

The announcement, made by President Ahmadinejad on live television, drew an immediate reaction from Britain, which said that it was "clearly a matter of serious concern". Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, called for an increase in international pressure on Iran.

The US, Britain, China and other major powers have proposed that Iran send most of its low-enriched uranium abroad in return for nuclear fuel refined to a level of 20 per cent for use in a Tehran reactor producing medical isotopes.

Mr Ahmadinejad appeared to accept the deal last Tuesday. However, a draft of the agreement seen by British MPs showed Iran still refusing to accept UN conditions, and yesterday Mr Ahmadinejad told Iran`s Atomic Energy Organisation to start producing higher-grade reactor fuel.

"We had told them to come and have a swap, although we could produce the 20 per cent enriched fuel ourselves," Mr Ahmadinejad said at a ceremony marking the latest Iranian laser technology achievements. "We gave them two to three months for such a deal. They started a new game, and now I [ask] Dr Salehi to start work on the production of 20 per cent fuel using centrifuges."

The atomic energy chief Dr Salehi announced that Iran would begin the enrichment at the Natanz plant from tomorrow.

Mr Gates responded to Tehran`s move by calling for a united stand. "The international community has offered the Iranian Government multiple opportunities to provide reassurance of its intentions. The results have been very disappointing," he said. "If the international community will stand together and bring pressure on the Iranian Government, I believe there is still time for sanctions and pressure to work. But we must all work together."

World powers fear that Tehran wants to enrich uranium to high levels for an atomic weapons programme. Iran insists its enrichment drive is peaceful. Under the UN deal the low-enriched uranium would be sent to Russia and France.